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Tennessee Democrats respond to Al Franken sexual assault allegations

Tennessee Democrats are condemning sexual assault under any circumstance but stopping short of calling for the resignation of U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota, after a woman radio newscaster accused him of past sexual harassment on Thursday.

Tennessee Democrats respond to Al Franken sexual assault allegations

Minnesota Senator Al Franken apologized Thursday after a Los Angeles radio anchor accused him of forcibly kissing her during a 2006 USO tour and of posing for a photo with his hands on her breasts as she slept. (Nov. 16)
AP

Tennessee Democrats are condemning sexual assault under any circumstance but are stopping short of calling for the resignation of U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota, after a female radio newscaster on Thursday accused him of past sexual harassment.

In a statement, Tennessee Democratic Senate candidate James Mackler said he supports an ethics investigation of Franken as the Minnesota senator has welcomed. When asked, he did not answer whether Franken should remain or stay in office.

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Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn. holds hands with his wife Franni Bryson as he leaves the Capitol after speaking on the Senate floor, Dec. 7, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Franken said he will resign from the Senate in coming weeks following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations and a collapse of support from his Democratic colleagues, a swift political fall for a once-rising Democratic star.
Andrew Harnik, AP

Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., holds hands with his wife Franni Bryson, as he leaves the Capitol after speaking on the Senate floor, Dec. 7, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Franken said he will resign from the Senate in coming weeks following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations and a collapse of support from his Democratic colleagues, a swift political fall for a once-rising Democratic star.
Andrew Harnik, AP

Sen. Al Franken leaves the U.S. Capitol with his wife Franni Bryson after speaking on the floor of the U.S. Senate Dec. 7, 2017 in Washington. Franken announced that he will be resigning from the U.S. Senate in the coming weeks following a barrage of allegations related to inappropriate conduct with women.
Win McNamee, Getty Images

Comedian Al Franken and sports commentator Leeann Tweeden perform a comic skit for service members during the USO Sergeant Major of the Army's 2006 Hope and Freedom Tour in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, on Dec. 15, 2006.
Staff Sgt. Patrick N. Moes, U.S. Army via AP

Senator Al Franken arrives for the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing the nomination of Christopher Wray's to be the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, July 12, 2017.
MANDEL NGAN, AFP/Getty Images

Sportscaster Leeann Tweeden and then-comedian Al Franken meet and greet military members during an autograph signing session of the USO Sergeant Major of the Army's 2006 Hope and Freedom Tour in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, on Dec. 14, 2006.
Sgt. Thomas Day, U.S. Army via AP

Franken looks over his papers during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on Capitol Hill on Nov. 14, 2017.
Mark Wilson, Getty Images

Franken directs a question to Neil Gorsuch during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Gorsuch's nomination to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court on March 21, 2017.
MICHAEL REYNOLDS, EPA

Franken walks off Air Force Once with President Obama, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Betty McCollum at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Feb. 4, 2013. Obama was traveling to Minneapolis to speak about gun violence.
Brendan Smialowski, AFP/Getty Images

Franken talks with reporters outside his home in Minneapolis on April 13, 2009, after a court confirmed that he won the most votes in his 2008 Senate race against Republican Norm Coleman.
Craig Lassig, AP

Franken, as his wife, Franni, looks on, delivers a speech to the media in front of his home after the Minnesota state canvassing board certified the recount in his bid for the U.S. Senate on Jan. 5, 2009, in Minneapolis.
Jayme Halbritter, Getty Images

“Sexual assault is not a partisan issue — it’s a pervasive societal problem and must be addressed as such,” Mackler said. “It happens in the workplace, it happens in the classroom, and it happens in the military, which is why I became a JAG officer. Speaking out takes courage and we must honor those who do so by holding people accountable, which includes an ethics investigation of Sen. Franken.”

For days, Mackler, a Nashville attorney, has called on Republican Senate candidate U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Brentwood, to denounce Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore after nine women have accused the candidate of sexual assault and harassment, including when some were minors.

Blackburn has said she doesn't support Moore's candidacy if the allegations are true but said the decision should ultimately be up to Alabama voters.

In a statement, Tennessee Democratic Party chairwoman Mary Mancini called sexual misconduct unacceptable but did not address Franken’s future.

"Sexual misconduct under any circumstance is never acceptable,” Mancini said. “Women have been sexually assaulted, harassed, bullied and used as punchlines for far too long and have stayed silent for far too long.”

Franken, a former comedian who is in his second term as senator, spoke to Tennessee Democrats at a 2016 Tennessee Democratic Party breakfast outside of Philadelphia during the Democratic National Convention.

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236, jgarrison@tennessean.com and on Twitter @joeygarrison.